The Pokemon Ranger Probationary Test is coming up! But will Sango manage to pass it? We'll have to find out! Review!
KedharS: Blake and Ryoko are completely normal humans with no inherent special abilities. Ryoko has a soulbond with Celebi, which grants her various powers, one of which is (involuntarily) sliding through time, hoping that the next leap she takes will be the leap home. That's why she knows Blake's family, she's a time traveler.
Just a Bad Writer For Fun: Nah, the last daeva will show up eventually, I've got plans for them.
Hellraiserphoenix: Yup, hopefully they'll all grow from this experience.
Tambry96bj: Yeah, hopefully Kitty will learn to control it better than Elaina.
TREBOR.E: I mean, I'm pretty sure it's only Blake, Elaina, and Kitty, and out of a cast of dozens of characters that isn't so bad. Those three just happen to be connected with harmonia. And the circumstances behind each of them are pretty different, as we'll find out.
Aakareo Kokokuhikari: My initial plan was four years, Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior. Trust me, that will have more than enough story. Like, way, way too much. Like, One Piece levels of content. Don't worry, there will be a lot to come. I'm a little worried that I might be raising expectations for the Daeva War a little too highly. It's not like we're going to be having drive-by thunderbolts and pokemon brawls in the streets or anything.
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 110
Sango stood on the runway, waiting to board her flight. It was a very small flight, from the academy's own landing strip, a private plane that could barely hold twenty people. Between test takers and people flying to the mainland for other reasons, it was packed full.
Soon… my test will begin… Well, not really soon. It was three in the morning and the sky was still dark, and the plane would be making a 16 hour flight. The test would be scheduled for tomorrow morning. Hopefully, the jet lag wouldn't be costly, and she could reunite with Silver by bedtime. She checked her phone. 1 new message. She scowled when she saw the ID. Claire.
Sango glanced up at the airplane, and did another once-over of her mental inventory. Yup, everything was still there. She sighed, taking a look behind her. It would be nice if Blake, at least, had-
Her phone began ringing, causing her to let out a small scream that cut through the silent night. Who the hell?!
Sango flipped open her phone, pressing it to her ear. "Hello?! Do you know what time it is?!"
"Duh…" a murky, sleepy voice muttered back to her. "It's like 3… *yawn*"
"Blake?!" Sango gasped, her face brightening. "What… why…"
"Not jus' me…" Blake mumbled.
"Hey girl!" Cynthia's voice, far too energetic for 3 A.M., rang out. "You weren't seriously gonna leave without saying goodbye, were you?"
"I'm only gonna be a few days-"
"Not good enough," Julia's yawning voice said. "We said our goodbyes last night… but before you go… we wanted to give ya one last bit of support… right, Kitty?"
"Yeah," Kitty's soft voice came next, a comfort to Sango's tired ears. "Good luck, Sango."
"Do your best," Nick agreed.
"With how well you've been studying, there's no way you're gonna fail," Reiner said confidently.
"Even if you don't remember everything, you'll be fine, I'm sure of it," Nikita agreed. "You just stay focused."
"And hey, if worst comes to worst, you can always cheat!" Cynthia, of course.
"A real Pokemon Ranger would never cheat!" Sango shouted, indignant.
"…Well you aren't a real ranger, you'd be a probationary, right?"
"That… that is not the point!" Sango exclaimed.
"So that's everyone, then," Blake's yawning voice returned. "Sorry we couldn't be there to see you off in person… it was hard enough to get us all down the hall and into your room…"
"Why was Nikita in your guys' room, by the way?" Cynthia asked.
"Later," Reiner hissed.
"Oh, my god, you two are-"
"Not the time," Nick snapped.
Sango chuckled. Even with all the pressure of the last week… nothing had changed in the least.
"So you don't worry about us, got it?" Blake said. "You just go out there and ace that test."
"Yes," Sango said, nodding, wiping the tears from her eyes and smiling confidently. "I will. Thank you all, so much. I'll see you again in about a week, and when I do… I'm going to be a Pokemon Ranger!"
"Probationary," Cynthia reminded her.
"Don't ruin the moment!" Sango growled, slamming her phone shut. Another beep rang out from it. A text.
GO DO UR BEST! U TAKE M DOWN. WHEN U PASS TELL BLAKE U 3 HIM.
CLAIRE
Sango smiled. It seemed that girl really wasn't all bad.
She stepped forward and walked onto the airplane, searching for an empty seat.
Problem was, the only "empty" seat… wasn't.
There was a long fishing poll nestled on the seat, the seatbelt wrapped over it. Beside it sat a tanned girl in a straw hat, flipping through a magazine with fish on the cover.
"…You're Marion, right?" Sango remembered.
"Yup!" Marion said, glancing up from her magazine and smiling.
"Uh, this seat…"
"Occupied."
"But it's the only available seat left…"
"But…"
"Miss…" The attendant walked up, a frown on his face. "We're going to have to put this in the hold so our last student can sit… and there's not enough space overhead…"
"Nooo!" Marion cried, protectively grabbing onto the fishing pole. "You can't! I need it! I already can't fish on a plane, why would you… why… I need it!"
"Listen, there's a time and place for everything, but not now!"
The attendant glanced at Sango apologetically, and worked to pry the slender rod out of the older girl's hands. Finally, the attendant managed to work the fishing pole loose, Marion deflating into her seat.
"…Sorry," Sango said, sitting down next to her, not entirely sure what she was apologizing for.
"Mmm…" Marion sighed, wrapping her arms around herself, shaking.
Well, this was going to be a fun flight…
The plane soon took to the sky, Sango worriedly looking at the shakiness. It wasn't her first flight on a plane this small (her dad had taken her on many similar flights) but it was her first time on her own. Without her dad by her side… she suddenly felt very fragile and at risk.
"Hey, you're Sango, right?" Marion suddenly asked, turning to face her. Sango jumped up in her seat, startled, and nodded.
"Say, Sango, do you know if they have barf bags on this flight?" Marion asked hopefully.
Oh, great.
"Why, do you get airsick?" Sango asked, not exactly thrilled to spend the next 16 hours seated next to someone throwing up.
"No, no, nothing like that…" Marion said, smiling, dismissing Sango's concerns. Her face then turned pale. "But if I go too long without a fishing pole near me I start to vomit blood…"
You should probably get some help, Sango wanted to say, but bit her lip. No sense in starting an unnecessary conflict. Instead, she decided to change the subject to the matter at hand, the upcoming test they were taking. This would be a good chance to fish for information, no pun intended.
"So, Marion, you've taken this test a lot before, right?" Sango asked. "You said this would be your 13th attempt?"
"Yuhuh," Marion hummed, lazily flipping through her fishing magazine.
"You must have a lot of experience," Sango said. "But even with all that… you still haven't been able to pass?"
"…" Marion closed her magazine, and glanced at Sango. Her blue eyes reflected hidden depths. "No… I haven't."
"With all your hard work… I can imagine that a lot of people would have given up by now," Sango said sympathetically. "But not you… you must really want to become a Pokemon Ranger…"
"…What? Oh, nah," Marion said, waving her hand dismissively. "I don't really care much about ranger stuff."
And all of Sango's good will towards this fishing gal evaporated.
"What?! Then why would you-"
"Hm?"
"Why are you even taking the test if you don't want to be a ranger?" Sango hissed, lowering her voice so as not to bother the other passengers. "Everyone here has their hearts set on being a ranger, someone like you who doesn't care… all you're doing is making it harder for them!"
"…So?" Marion asked, tilting her head to the side. "It's not like I'm taking the test for funsies. I have my own goals, and I need the probationary license to accomplish them. And even if I was taking it for funsies, that shouldn't matter."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Marion pointed a finger at Sango.
"If you're taking the test with the mindset of 'the more people taking it, the worse my odds' then you don't have the right mindset. You're trying to become a Pokemon Ranger, right? So are you satisfied with passing the test by default? That it isn't because you knew more than the other examinees, or proved yourself worthy, but because you were one of the only people taking the test?"
"Well, that's…"
"I'm taking the test for my own reasons," Marion continued. "Just like you. And whoever scores best out of everyone there will pass. So if you fail and I pass, are you really going to say 'no fair' when I had the same conditions you did? And would you really be satisfied with passing as the only test taker? You don't get to decide whose reasons are worthwhile and whose are a waste of time. If you're beat out by someone who doesn't even want to be a ranger, doesn't that mean you just aren't ready? Or do you not care about whether or not you're ready for the responsibility of being a ranger, probationary or otherwise, and are just interested in the status that comes with being a ranger?"
Marion's words were harsh, but her tone and expression were pleading, like she was begging Sango to see her side of things. And though she didn't feel great about it, Sango certainly could. She nodded glumly. When she put it like that, Sango really wouldn't be satisfied with passing the test on a technicality.
"Sorry, that… was wrong of me," Sango apologized, shaking her head. "I guess I just got a little worked up. I really don't know why you're taking the test, either."
The minute Sango said that, and saw the older student's face light up, she realized she had fucked up real badly.
"Oh! Let me tell you!" Marion said. "You see, there's a special course I can take as a senior! But you need a probationary ranger license to apply for it! The way it works, is that you get to work for a Pokemon Conservationist Organization on their staff as a Pokemon Ranger overseeing the operation! The area that I'm hoping to get situated in is in Hoenn, so I can put my skills to work and take care of the different fish pokemon living there! You see, fish pokemon are just so great! But I won't be able to work there without a probationary license, so that's why I set out to take this test! However…"
Good god, this girl would just not shut up when it came to fishing. Sango just sat there, forced to grin and bear it as Marion continued her long an elaborate discussion about the different species of fish pokemon in the various regions, Hoenn in particular, how she determined which region she'd want to do her Ranger Residency at, and why it was imperative that it happen during the springtime for the best opportunity to observe certain species of fish unencumbered by the bustle or tourists.
It was when she had moved on to fish rearing and breeding that Sango had to cut her off. 47 fucking minutes into her spiel. Sango felt like SHE was the one who was going to barf at this point. But she retained a polite expression while telling the fishing enthusiast that she needed to interrupt her.
"You said you were doing your residency in the spring if you pass… but you're a senior, right?"
Marion nodded glumly.
"Yeah… I know seniors are supposed to all be, like, those Daeva guys. That's what you think when you hear about seniors, right? They're all, like, super-talented, but I guess there are still ones like me who can't do a whole lot, and haven't made much progress, heh! But I'm trying my best! You see, this… this is my last shot."
"Wh-what?" Sango said.
"The test occurs four times a year," Marion explained. "Once per season. But I'm graduating in the summer. And the date of the test in the winter is after the second semester has already started, so I'll have needed to submit my schedule plan by that point. So… this is my last chance. If I want to get into my residency program… I need to pass this year."
Sango frowned. Even though the girl wasn't a pokemon ranger prospective, it was still wrong of Sango to have talked down to her about her reasons for taking the test.
"I'm sorry…"
"Eh? For what? I haven't failed yet! 13th time's the charm, you know!" Marion's personality still seemed as bubbly and confident as ever, like she wasn't even bothered by the fact that this was her final shot.
"No, no, I'm sorry for what I said… talking down to you and all…"
"Well, you're still a freshman," Marion grinned, her smile as bright as the now-rising sun. "So you just don't know how things work, you know? No need to worry!" She ruffled Sango's hair in a gesture a little too overly-affectionate for someone she had just met.
"I'm your senior, you know, part of my job is to help my juniors!"
"Ah… thanks," Sango said, smiling.
"But that doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on you," Marion said, her smile turning serious. "I'm going to do my best, too! Just you watch!"
"Hm," Sango said, nodding, smiling back at her. "I'll try the best I can, too."
"You better," Marion said. "Because this test is hard! The first part is written, you know! And you don't even get to fish while you're doing it!"
"Yeah, I've heard," Sango chuckled, remembering her first conversation with the loony girl.
"But the real hard part is the second part," Marion said. "I've never made it past that point, not even once."
Sango swallowed.
"What is it? A… practical?"
"Not exactly," Marion said, shaking her head. "It's a little hard to describe… if I remember correctly…"
Her face lit up.
"Oh, yeah! I'm not supposed to tell you anything, sorry!"
Sango rolled her eyes, shaking her head in frustration.
"…Whatever."
"Oh, but I'm sure you'll be fine!" Marion backtracked. "And I'll be trying hard, too! No way I'm failing there this time! I'm getting to the third section this year, no matter what!"
Sango nodded. If nothing else, the girl had positive energy in abundance.
"So if you don't want to be a ranger… then why are you in the Ranger Course?" Sango asked, glancing at Marion's orange armband.
"There are other majors than being a Pokemon Ranger for the Ranger Course, you know," Marion said, waving her finger disapprovingly. "Or, well, maybe you don't. But I'm not aiming to be a Pokemon Ranger. Like, don't get me wrong, rangers are great and all, but what I really want to be is a Pokemon Conservationist!"
"A… conservationist?" Sango asked.
"Yuppers," Marion nodded. "Protecting and raising wild pokemon to thrive in their environments!"
"To me, though, it sounds like a conservationist taking care makes you better suited to being in the Caretaker Course, though?"
"You'd think so, but no! See, the duty of a conservationist is to preserve the balance in nature, just like a ranger! That's why all the classes I need to take are in the Ranger Course! See, I'm from the Alola Region. And in the place I'm from, there's an organization known as the Aether Foundation. They work to preserve the relationship between pokemon and the environment. They work to establish wildlife sanctuaries for endangered species of pokemon and curbing the damage caused by excessively aggressive predators in the wild.
"See, if you think of Pokemon Rangers as working on the front lines and in the field to preserve the bond between pokemon and humans, you can think of Pokemon Conservationists as being supports to preserve the balance of pokemon in the wild. Did you know, that in some regions, certain species of fish pokemon are almost extinct? Like the ancient pokemon Relicanth! And in Alola, pokemon like Corsola are being aggressively hunted to extinction!"
Marion huffed.
"But that's no good! All the fishies are special! I want to protect them all! If there aren't any fishies swimming in the ocean, then there won't be anything to fish for! So that's why I want to join up! Just like Pokemon Rangers, I want to preserve the balance of the environment! And establish a safe home for my favorite fishies to live in harmony~"
"Cool," Sango said, nodding. "And what about the endangered pokemon that aren't fish?"
Marion blinked, confused.
"What about them?"
This girl…
Sango was too tired to argue.
"Never mind."
Sango yawned.
"I'm gonna take a short nap," she said, yawning again, resting her head on the tray. Marion nodded, and returned to her magazine.
It was already starting to get dark when the plane touched down in Mistralton City. From there, they were going to take a bus to Castelia City, where they would stay the night before heading out to the official Pokemon Ranger Testing Facility in Unova, a few miles past the city limits.
As the kids filed into the bus, Marion was looking around nervously and getting the shakes. She was clutching her fishing rod so tightly her knuckles at turned white.
"Get on," chaperone teacher, Professor Kellyn, called out to her. "You're the last one."
"But, but…" Marion glanced desperately at a large lake resting nearby. She looked desperately back at the professor.
"Now."
Sighing in defeat, Marion gave the lake a last wistful look before getting onto the bus. In another few hours, they had arrived at the hotel they would be staying at.
The prospective rangers entered the lobby, which was packed to the brim with a lot of people their own age. It seemed all the different schools were staying in the same fancy hotel. And not only were there a lot of students, there were a lot of pokemon, too.
"Castform!" A soft and bright voice brought an immediate smile to Sango's face.
"Silver!" She gushed, running over to her floating pokemon and pulling him into a big hug. "I missed you so much!"
While the other students were busy getting reunited with their partner pokemon, Sango caught sight of Marion sneakily making her way out of the lobby, headed for the doors. She ran over to the tanned girl, a look of confusion on her face.
"What are you doing?" Sango asked suspiciously.
"Night fishing," Marion whispered. "I need it. It's been nearly a day without fishing. I'll die. Seriously. Shhhh."
"It's 11 at night!" Sango exclaimed. "We need to go to sleep to work off the jet lag, you can't go fishing now!"
"It's fine, I'll sleep while I'm fishing," Marion laughed, as though that were something normal people could do. "No need to worry."
Sango rolled her eyes. No need to worry indeed. That girl would be lucky if she even made it to the testing facility. She wouldn't be a problem. She turned to look at the other prospective rangers, her potential rivals. She swallowed. She was back in her hometown now, and there was no way she was going to lose when she had the home field advantage.
I'm going to pass. I'm going to beat everyone here, and I'm going to pass.
How will this ranger test go for Sango and the other students? Will she be able to pull out a win? We'll have to find out!